Fellow Warriors
by Tilthanial
Summary: Elite Zu'ronee has an impressive service record with the Covenant army, but when he and his men embark on a mission to secure a planet protected by a squad of Spartans, every inch of his nerve and skill is pushed to the limit to find a way to stay alive..
1. The Landing

The Elite Zu'ronee glanced down at the Unggoy clustered around their drop pods. They chattered endlessly in their native tongue about the coming battle. If he did not know them better he could have sworn they were excited about the coming battle. But no, their race feared the exhilaration of the fight; they were cowards.

The Phantom slipped in an air pocket and dipped slightly. The other Sangheili muttered at the carelessness of the Jiralhanae pilot. The two sub-commanders shook their heads in exasperation and looked to Zu'ronee. He could tell they were getting impatient to join the fray. It was time to address them.

"Sangheili, comrade Unggoys, today we are to take part in a glorious struggle to purge the unclean from our galaxy. For years we have fought these creatures, driving them from fortress after fortress. Now, it is time for us to engage them once again, to drive them yet further back from their lands. Our brethren are already on the ground, waiting for us to arrive to deliver the killing blow. We shall not disappoint them. We shall carry out the orders of the Prophets and continue our march on the Great Journey."

The Sangheili voiced their approval in unison, but the Unggoy were less disciplined. They squealed and shrieked in apprehension. It took a moment before they calmed down.

"You have all taken your oaths of service to our Covenant and sworn to uphold the sacred bond. Now it is time to fulfill your promise. Brothers of the Covenant, are you ready?"

Once again the Sangheili and Unggoy cheered his words. His sub-commanders nodded their appreciation towards him. Pride at his Sangheili's courage flooded Zu'ronee's chest.

"You will all be richly rewarded for your actions here, both in the End and for a 100-unit rest onboard the _Swift Justice._"

With his announcement out of the way, Zu'ronee turned to the Jiralhanae pilot. "How long until we land, Barabus?"

"Soon," the Jiralhanae grunted. "Then you can have your glory. Be warned, though. _Demons_ have been spotted in the area."

Fear clawed at Zu'ronee's belly at the mention of the _demons_. Those creatures were of the same race as the others, but they were nigh unstoppable. There was countless footage of the _demons_ taking injuries that would have killed even the most resilient Sangheili but continued fighting as ferociously as before. "Then we will have the glory of their demise."

Barabus huffed and settled deeper into his chair. "Stand by for the drop in one unit."

Zu'ronee faced his brothers slowly. By the looks on their faces they had heard the words exchanged between Barabus and himself. Several showed apprehension on their faces, but the majority hid their emotions. Only two things occupied their minds now. The objective, and the _demons._

"You all heard what Barabus reported." There was no use trying to hide it. "The _demons_ are waiting for us on the planet. It is time to meet them. May the blessing of the Forerunners protect you."

Sub-commander Fe'laree approached Zu'ronee, edging his way through the crowded bay. "Commander," he began, "I have a boon to ask of you."

Zu'ronee saw where this was going. He did not bother wading through the formalities. "My answer is no. I appreciate your courage and eagerness, Fe'laree, but the objective is of the utmost importance. Perhaps once we have secured the objective you may partake in the hunt for the _demons_. Other-wise you are to remain on task."

Fe'laree bowed stiffly and strode back to his post with sagging shoulders. The others made way for him out of respect, and several Sangheili patted his back with reassurance. It was not uncommon for the Sangheili to request additional targets or personal missions, but Zu'ronee needed to keep his men together. If half of what was said about the _demons_ was true, then he would need all of his men with him to stand a chance at stopping them.

"Prepare to enter the lift." Barabus said over the comm. The Sangheili and Unggoy armed their weapons and shifted over to their places. "Dropping now."

A white light enveloped the troop bay and Zu'ronee felt gravity tug hard at his insides. His body slipped down towards the energy-floor and he welcomed the light and what lay beyond. It was time to join the fight.


	2. The Orders

Zu'ronee groaned inwardly as he caught a glimpse of the battle-field in the way down the grav-lift. Hundreds of his brothers lay dead on the field, accompanied by thousands of Unggoy, Lekgolo and Kig-Yar. Many of the infidels had also been killed, but the cost had not been worth it. It made him shudder to see the destructive power of such an unblessed race. They did not deserve to even exist, but here they were holding their own against the finest of the Covenant armada. Something was not right.

Zu'ronee troops snapped into action as soon as their boots touched the ground. They scrambled for cover and presented a hedge of plasma weapons towards the outside as the second wave landed behind them. Finally, the third wave dropped down and they were clear. With a wave of his hand the combat group rose and advanced cautiously, scanning the area and preparing for anything.

"Sub-commander Fe'laree," Zu'ronee crouched to a squat and motioned to the Elite. Fe'laree approached slowly, careful to not present themselves as targets for snipers.

"You have my command, Commander."

Zu'ronee pointed towards a ridge protruding from the ruined battlefield two hundred meters ahead. "Take your soldiers and secure that position for our Kig-Yar snipers. Contact me by your comm as soon as you have taken the position."

"As you wish, Commander." Fe'laree returned to his troops and pulled his Sangheili together for a conference. After a minute they broke off and headed towards the ridge in three loose columns, weaving back and forth across the field. Zu'ronee and the rest of the combat group continued forward towards their unit's command post.

The sentries allowed them to pass without so much as a pause as they entered. Once they had reached the temporary barracks Zu'ronee dismissed his Unggoy for resupply. The rest of his command found work to do fortifying the position while Zu'ronee searched for the lead commander. It took several minutes, but Zu'ronee found him right where he expected him to be.

"Hail, Orna 'Fulsamee, Ship-master." Zu'ronee fell to one knee as a sign of profound respect. "My troops are yours to command."

Ship-master Orna 'Fulsamee turned to face him and huffed. "Spare me the formalities, Commander Zu'ronee. You know as well as I that we need quick action on the field, not political garbage."

Zu'ronee rose to his feet, slightly embarrassed by the chastening. "My apologies, Ship-master. It will not happen again."

The Ship-master dismissed the apology with a wave of his hand. "You are forgiven. Make your report."

"Yes, Ship-master." Zu'ronee produced a hologram device and placed it on a nearby ammunition crate. A three-dimensional map of the surrounding battlefield appeared on the crate with real-time imagery provided by the ships in orbit. "Sub-commander Fe'laree of my combat group has occupied this ridge overlooking the recent battlefield and is setting up a sniper and spotter position for reconnaissance and artillery support. My other two sub-commanders have their troops helping fortify this command post as we speak."

Orna 'Fulsamee nodded his head in approval. Several nearby advisors and Commanders looked impressed by his deployment. "That is good, Commander. Once your men are ready they may proceed towards the temple. Commanders Jul'yaree and 'Tinulee will accompany your combat group to provide support. You will also have a squadron of fliers and a pair of tanks under your command. I will send a sub-unit to replace Fe'laree and his command with you."

"Thank you, Ship-master. It will be done." Zu'ronee picked up the hologram device and slipped it into his belt. His hand brushed against the plasma pistol that he carried in a hip-holster on his right leg. It was an unusual placement for such a weapon, but Zu'ronee had saved his own life many times because of the ease at which he could draw the weapon.

Two of the Commanders detached from the rest of the advisors and approached Zu'ronee. He recognized them as the two Commanders attached to his command for the mission.

The Commander in red armor spoke first. "I admire your swift deployment, Commander Zu'ronee." The first extended his hand. Zu'ronee noted that one of the fingers was missing and shrugged.

"It was nothing, Commander Jul'yaree. Our pilot merely dropped us off in the right spot." He took the hand and shook it vigorously. Then he turned to the second Commander, this one in black armor. "I am honored to be in your presence, Commander 'Tinulee."

The Sangheili simply grunted and handed Zu'ronee a comm system. "You will need this to contact any in my command. Don't lose it." With that the famous Sangheili spun on his heel and marched off towards the Spec Ops barracks. Jul'yaree chuckled at the confused look on Zu'ronee's face.

"Mind him not, Commander. 'Tinulee lost several blood-brothers and many crèche-members to the _demons_ that defend this place. He is eager to hunt them down."

"I understand that, Commander." Zu'ronee turned towards the fortifications and scanned the area for his troops. Spotting one, he motioned the Sangheili to his side. "Ghe'ronee, my assistant, will stay by your side during the actions to relay requests and notable locations. Is that permissible?"

"It is, Commander. It would be an honor to have one of your crèche by my side. Pray tell, though, who is this Ghe'ronee? I do not know his name."

"He is my son, Commander." Zu'ronee faced him, ignoring the quizzical look from the approaching Sangheili. "Take care of him, Commander. My guess is that the _demons_ will match us on our way to the sacred temple. I have full confidence that we will turn out the victors, but I would keep him out of contact with the _demons_. This is his first engagement, after all, and I wish him to have a long and glorious career."

Jul'yaree bowed solemnly, a sign of respect for Zu'ronee's decision. "If that is your wish, I will gladly take him under my wing."

"Thank you, Jul'yaree. I will not forget this favor." Zu'ronee tilted his head in thanks and motioned to Ghe'ronee, who had stopped a respectful distance away while they spoke. "Come here, Ghe'ronee. I have something to tell you."

"As you wish, Commander." Ghe'ronee steeped forward and saluted Jul'yaree. "I am yours."

"My son, I am assigning you to Commander Jul'yaree's personal guard for this mission." Ghe'ronee's face fell noticeably. There was a mix of disappointment and shame in his features. The sight made Zu'ronee's chest tighten, and for a moment he regretted his decision. _No, he is not ready yet_, Zu'ronee reminded himself. _He is still but a child. It would be murder to place him in the way of the _demons He needed to soften the blow. "I know that you consider yourself ready for the front, and I have confidence that you are, but I need a reliable communicator so that I can keep Commander Jul'yaree informed of our progress.

Ghe'ronee's back straightened a little and he huffed. "Very well, then, Father. I will obey."

Jul'yaree nodded his approval and patted the young Sangheili on his back. "Consider yourself lucky, Ghe'ronee. While your father leads the assault you can record the actions for our report. I am sure that you will get your fill of the fighting in today."

Zu'ronee turned away from the pair as Jul'yaree steered Ghe'ronee towards his own barracks. He only hoped that those last words would never come to be.

Zu'ronee carefully examined each one of his assembled troops inside the fort. His Sangheili swayed slightly in the wind, eyes aimed straight ahead as they prepared for the coming battle in their own ways. The Kig-Yar shifted from foot to foot, eyes darting back and forth across the plains ahead. They could smell the cooked flesh lying out just a mile away. The scent drove them crazy with anticipation. The Unggoy were chattering away on their squad comms, anxious to get back to the warm methane domes in the camp. The sight of all the Covenant troops at his disposal made Zu'ronee grin with pride.

He turned away from the company and nodded to 'Tinulee. "Are your troops ready to go out-"

The methane domes exploded behind Zu'ronee accompanied by the sharp crack of a ballistic weapon discharge. The air pressure lifted Zu'ronee off of his feet and hurled him into the stunned ranks of his company. Numerous secondary explosions followed, mainly the methane tanks of nearby Unggoy, but occasional blue flares shot up as plasma ammunition was incinerated in the fires. Screams of agony pierced the air as burning soldiers ran about in panic, trying desperately to douse the flames licking at their bodies.

A roar of anger came from deeper in the camp and a detachment of Sangheili poured out from a barracks, armor smoking. They patted off the flames on their own armor before turning back to help those still inside. The last one had reentered the barracks when the temporary building collapsed. Muffled explosions shook the ruined frame of the building and the remaining walls tumbled outwards, flattening everything nearby.

Zu'ronee recovered his feet a moment after landing and stood shakily. At his nod the Sangheili under his command broke ranks and rushed in to search for survivors. He followed right behind them, checking the pulses of nearby bodies. Some were still alive but most had been slain in the explosions. To his dismay, dozens of Sangheili had fallen around the barracks buildings. Those weak structures had not been designed to resist massive explosions and for the most part had all caved in on those inside.

A handful of Lekgolo rumbled into view from the direction of the fortifications. Zu'ronee pointed to the nearest barracks and they set about clearing the rubble without a word. He continued on past them, leaving them to their work. He needed to find Orna 'Fulsamee. If the Ship-master had been slain then the Legate needed to know immediately.

The command post was in ruins. Piles of twisted metal lay strewn about in such a pattern that Zu'ronee knew instantly what had happened. Several of the plasma grenade crates had gone off. Judging from the abundance of scorch marks scattered across area, the crates had been left open. It had been a massacre.

A few Sangheili joined Zu'ronee as he set about shifting debris. Those from other units called for their commanders in the vain hope that they had survived the blast. Zu'ronee worked in silence. With every piece of metal he cast aside his heart grew heavier. What had happened seemed impossible. _How could the _demons_ have gotten within range to fire?_

"Commander," One of the Deliego-crèche Sangheili shouted across the ruined command post. "I have found the Ship-master."

Zu'ronee dropped the burnt metal skeleton of a plasma crate and hurried over. Ship-master Orna 'Fulsamee lay on the ground, pinned down by a fallen ammo container. His helmet had been knocked aside and blood trickled out of his mouth. Body parts of other Sangheili littered the area. It was a miracle that he was still in one piece, much less alive.

"Commander, are you all right?" Zu'ronee knelt down and snaked his arms under the plasma container. With a nod to the other Sangheili he planted his feet in the ground and heaved with all his strength against the side of the massive container. The joint strength of the Sangheili tipped the container over and it landed with a thud past the Ship-master's body.

Orna 'Fulsamee scrambled slowly to his feet. His body swayed back and forth limply as he leaned against the container. "I will live, Commander Zu'ronee, thanks to your help and the help of…" he faced the other Sangheili. "What is your name, soldier?"

The Sangheili's back stiffened with pride. " 'Ramdeliee, Commander."

"Yes, my thanks goes to you too, 'Ramdeliee." The Ship-master rested his head on his hand. "It pains me greatly to see the _demons_ get away with this insult. Commander Zu'ronee, I am giving you freedom of engagement with these _demons_. Continue on to the temple, but kill them if they come near your company."

Zu'ronee bowed low and motioned to several nearby Sangheili. They approached cautiously and set about cleaning the Ship-Master's wounds. Orna 'Fulsamee acknowledged them with a nod and called out to Zu'ronee's fleeing form.

"Bring me their heads, Zu'ronee! The Prophets demand it."

Zu'ronee waved over his back in acknowledgement of the order. With deliberate slowness he crossed the camp back to where his troops were waiting. Fully a score of his troops and that of the other Commanders' troops were missing. By the looks on the soldiers' faces, those missing had all perished.

Commander Jul'yaree saluted stiffly as he approached. "All of our troops are accounted for, Commander. We await your command."

Zu'ronee nodded and scanned the faces of his troops. Fear, pain, eagerness and hatred burned in their eyes, a sea of emotions.

"Brave warriors of the Covenant," Zu'ronee accepted his plasma rifle from a nearby assistant. He checked the ammunition counter and huffed when he read _full_. He looked back up at the waiting crowd, their heads craned forward to catch his words.

"It is time to hunt."


	3. The First Encounter

Zu'ronee led his command into the valley with almost painful caution. The Sangheili grunted impatiently as he advanced one foot at a time, ever straining to catch the snap of a branch, the rustle of leaves, anything that could indicate trouble. Past experiences with these infidels had taught him extreme caution.

The Kig-Yar and the Unggoy had been trouble. The Kig-Yar, because of their animalistic natures, blatantly ignored the warnings of the Sangheili and tramped forward in a carefree but alert manner. They scorned the Sangheilis' commands and moved at their own pace; soon they had outdistanced much of Zu'ronee's combat group.

The Unggoy had been, well, just noisy. They were a coward's race, easily startled and prone to desertion and fear. They advanced timidly, jumping in alarm at every sudden noise, including noises that they themselves made. Combined with the Kig-Yars' insubordination and his fellow Sangheili's impatience, Zu'ronee soon called his group to a halt and summoned each and every squad leader in the command.

"You should be ashamed of yourselves," he growled menacingly, "Your fighters are disrespecting orders, making noise when told to keep silent, and have no form of cohesion at all!"

The Sangheili leaders lowered their heads in shame, each one taking the tirade as a personal wound to his own honor.

"From now on I demand complete silence, unless there is an emergency or contact is made with the infidels. Those that disobey will have me to answer to."

The leaders returned to their commands and relayed his orders to their troops. To Zu'ronee's relief, the whole combat group obeyed without hesitation. Although little-known by the majority of the Covenant brotherhood, those that did know of Zu'ronee knew how savage he could become on the flip of a switch.

It took several units for them to reach Fe'laree's post. Fe'laree hailed Zu'ronee as they entered comm range.

"Hail, Commander, your timing is most fortunate." Sounds of plasma fire and explosions echoed in the background of the channel. Pulling out his monocle, Zu'ronee surveyed the ridge. Flashes of fire lit the ridge like ship-lamps; they were under attack already.

"What is your status, Fe'laree?" At his command, the combat group abandoned all secrecy and rushed forward from the protection of the trees. The ridge was at least a kilometer or two away.

"We are holding, Commander. Be careful,-" A nearby shot caused the comm to fade for a second before coming back. "-_demons_ are here."

At the word _demon_ Zu'ronee froze. Every inch of fiber in his body urged him to fall back, and he nearly did. Fear clawed at his stomach and he took an involuntary step back.

_No, this cannot be. We are not ready for them._

"Commander," Jul'yaree touched his shoulder and bowed quickly. "What are your orders?"

_Fe'laree is up there. It is my duty to save him._ "Advance on the ridge, brother. The _demons_ are there, and we may need our full force for this battle."

Jul'yaree nodded and let out a roar of joy. The rush for the ridge started up again and Zu'ronee found himself thundering across the field at the head of two hundred brave Covenant warriors. Despite this awesome power at his hands, Zu'ronee shook inside. He knew this would be his last battle.

"Fe'laree, hold on, we are on our way."

There was no answer across the comm channel.

The ridge was eerily quiet as Zu'ronee climbed the path to the top. A dozen Kig-Yar under the command of an untested Sangheili pressed on ahead of him, clearing the area for enemies. Not a shot rang out as they encountered nothing on their way up the hill.

At last Zu'ronee reached the crest of the ridge. He hurdled a fallen tree trunk and examined the field. His lower jaws dropped in astonishment.

The bodies of Covenant soldiers were splayed out across the ridge like dolls, soaked in their own blood and smoking like coals. At some places the blood was so thick that pools collected, stagnant puddles of purple and blue fluids. Sangheili lay dead with Unggoy, a shameful position to die in.

And not a single infidel's body was in sight.

A shudder shook Zu'ronee's body and he clutched his head in sorrow. Shame and guilt filled his mind, mocking him for being late, for ordering Fe'laree to hold the ridge, for hesitating when he could have arrived just a little earlier. He could have saved them.

The silent ranks of Zu'ronee's command filed past him. They to were shocked beyond words. Angry growls escaped from a few Sangheili, but the majority did not speak.

It was a while before Zu'ronee found his voice. "Who did this?" he asked to the air that whistled and danced around his ears. "What happened here?"

Commander Jul'yaree tapped Zu'ronee on his shoulder and pointed across the ridge. Fe'laree's body was lying at the edge of the ridge, surrounded by blast marks and riddled with holes. Two sword handles lay in his limp palms and a smoking plasma rifle lay at his feet. His head was detached from his body, lying several feet down the slope. The only sign of an enemy was a single plate of sage-green armor stuck in the joint between Fe'laree's shoulder and neck.

Ghe'ronee approached Zu'ronee and handed him a fallen beam rifle. "They are still out in the valley, Commander. We can still hit them."

The words felt like a salve to Zu'ronee's mind. He clutched the rifle to his chest and moved towards the ridge-edge. A sore of Kig-Yar followed him. Peering into the scope of his rifle, Zu'ronee got his first look at the attackers.

Four _demons_ were sprinting across the valley. Only four! Four of the _demons_ had annihilated every last one of his warriors. They would pay.

With mechanical precision Zu'ronee settled his scope on the farthest _demon_. He breathed in deeply and steadied the rifle against his shoulder.

Bang.

One of the Kig-Yar, too impatient to wait, fired early. His shot went wide and ahead of them, searing a hole into a thin tree. The _demons_, alerted by the shot, spun around and aimed at the ridge. One of them looked directly at Zu'ronee. He peered into its visor and saw it looking straight back, a sniper rifle in its hands. His finger tightened on the trigger at the same time that the _demon's_ did.

"Father!"

A body hurled Zu'ronee to the side, causing his aim to shift. The shot flew off in the direction of the _demons_ but he did not see it connect. All he saw was a blur of blue armor and a spurt of blue blood as he fell to the ground.

Immediately he rolled off of the body and came up in a fighting stance. What he saw chilled him to the core.

Ghe'ronee lay in a pool of his own blood, a gaping wound in his throat. Blood spewed several feet in the air out of his throat as he struggled on the ground, hands clawing at the dirt. The beam rifle slipped from Zu'ronee's hands and he fell to his knees. His arms slid in under his son's head and he lifted it off of the ground in a futile effort to slow the bleeding.

"Son," tears brimmed around his eyes as he looked at his fallen child. "…why?"

"It was my duty, father." A spasm of pain racked the young Sangheili's body and he coughed up blood onto his already soaked chest. "I couldn't let them get you."

The bitter taste of tears coated Zu'ronee's mouth and his voice caught in his throat.

"You shouldn't have, son."

"No, father." The Sangheili's eyes glazed over and his head fell back in Zu'ronee's arms. "Now I can die with honor."

The body went limp and slipped out of Zu'ronee's hands. It landed heavily in a rapidly expanding pool of blood. The blood splashed against Zu'ronee's armor, painting a stark contrast between the red armor and the blue blood.

Zu'ronee rose slowly, oblivious to the ranks of Covenant troops watching him. He stalked over to the edge of the ridge and grabbed a fallen beam rifle. Looking down the scope, he scanned the area for the _demons_. None were in sight. They had gotten away.

"Commander," Jul'yaree called out to him from a respectful distance. "There is still time to catch them. Your shot wounded one of them. They are falling back in the direction of the temple."

Zu'ronee's response was so soft that only those in the front ranks could hear him.

"Then let us finish this. Contact 'Tinulee. Tell him that the _demons_ are coming his way."


	4. The Chase

I haven't been able to work for a while on this story, so this one will be longer than usual. I hope y'all enjoy it. Review it if you've got any comments.

(BTW: a _unit_ is the Covenant time measurement system. Due to simplicity, I'm switching back to hours and minutes.)

They had been traveling without break for hours. Zu'ronee's chest heaved up and down as he gasped for air. He could not stop. Not when those murderers were loose. He had to catch them. His son's blood called for vengeance in the recesses of his mind, goading him onward.

Zu'ronee entered a clearing and looked around as he ran. It was peaceful and calm. _A good place to rest in any other case._ Fresh determination flooded his veins and he pushed himself along. Just short of the exit from the clearing, he tripped on a tree root. Before he could rise, Jul'yaree came up behind and pinned him down with his powerful arms. Zu'ronee struggled feebly against his overwhelming strength. The rest of the force that had stayed with them sat down underneath any shade they could find and pulled out their canteens.

"Commander, you must rest." His voice had a slightly commanding tone to it, although he maintained the proper humility. "Half of the combat group is lagging from exhaustion and the other is near the brink. We need to rest, at least for a few minutes."

"But… the _demons_…"

"Even they need to rest. We will catch them, but right now our concern is the temple. Once the rest of the combat group arrives we can resume the advance."

Deep inside Zu'ronee knew that Jul'yaree was right, but the pain of his son's death still burned fresh in his memory. He tried to shrug off Jul'yaree.

"No. We cannot stop now. They have got to be nearby."

"We won't do anything to them if we attack piecemeal and tired. They will kill us all that way."

"What would you do then?"

Jul'yaree stood up and offered a hand to Zu'ronee. "We will rest and contact 'Tinulee. He must have some news. Once we are rested we can join his force and complete the advance on the temple."

"This is… good. I bow to your wisdom, Commander Jul'yaree." Zu'ronee knelt down on the ground and lowered his head.

"Think naught of it, Commander. You are feeling a great loss that I cannot imagine. Any other in your situation would have responded similarly. Do not worry about the next few minutes. I will regroup our force. Just rest."

Zu'ronee walked over to a large tree and sat down. He leaned back against its cool bark and reached for his canteen. The water felt glorious as he took a few sips. His breathing began to slow down while he sat back and watched Jul'yaree pull the separated squads in. Clusters of soldiers began to trickle into the camp in groups of two or three.

Most of the newcomers lay down or sat on the grass. Several of the older Sangheili approached Zu'ronee and offered their condolences for his loss. He thanked them and waved them off to tend to their own troops.

They stayed in the clearing for over an hour. Although Zu'ronee felt that they should continue the chase, his body refused to cooperate. Instead he sat down against the tree for the better part of the hour until his body had returned to its normal condition. He also calmed down. The rush of adrenaline and anger from his son's death and the loss of his company had subsided until it no longer would cloud his judgment.

Jul'yaree, after making sure all of the troops had rested, came to Zu'ronee map. They held a quick conference with the veteran squad leaders to decide the best approach to 'Tinulee's position. Finally they agreed to split up and send one half down the path to his position and to send the other around in a sweeping arc in case of an ambush. That way they could respond efficiently to any attacks.

While the squads formed up and prepared to leave, Zu'ronee called 'Tinulee on his comm. Hearing 'Tinulee's gruff voice felt good in Zu'ronee's ears.

"What is your status, _Commander_?"

Zu'ronee chuckled at the way 'Tinulee spat out the word _Commander_. It was obvious that he had little respect for the non-Spec Ops Sangheili. Most Spec Ops troopers were like that. They saw themselves as the peak of skill and strength. Usually they were right.

"We are preparing to make the final leg of the journey to your position. We will have one wing enter in from the gorge, the other from the woodlands to your north-east. Have you spotted any sign of the demons?"

"Negative, Commander. They have not shown their presence. Do not worry though. My troops are more than capable of handling four of those infidels."

"I pray that you will not have to test them, Commander 'Tinulee. Out."

The comm faded away and Zu'ronee watched his troops idly. They were fully recovered and ready to go. Even as he watched the first squad geared up and set off towards the exit of the clearing that he had originally aimed for. Zu'ronee stood and saluted the scout leader as they passed by. The Sangheili returned the salute and gripped his carbine carefully. In single file they approached the path leading out of the clearing. Zu'ronee turned back to Jul'yaree as they disappeared around the corner.

"That scout leader. Is he a novice?"

"Yes he is." Jul'yaree seemed proud of the Sangheili leading the squad. "He placed first in his class at the Academy for Scouting and Reconnaissance."

"Impressive. He looks like he'll go far some-"

A thunderous explosion shook the ground underneath them. Zu'ronee staggered back to the tree and braced himself against it as a second explosion ripped through the woods outside of the clearing. The whole combat group rushed forward towards the explosions, but it was too late.

The first squad lay strewn about the pathway, their blood pooling in the craters littering the path. Several massive trees had fallen along the path, presenting several barricades in the way. On top of all the carnage, small brushfires were popping up around the area. Clearing the trees and putting out the fires would require a few hours' work.

Zu'ronee and Jul'yaree hurried past the others to the lead members of the squad. The Sangheili scout was no where to be seen. Shards from his armor were embedded in the trunks of the trees nearby, but there was no trace of him.

"Commander!"

The two Sangheili turned to the noise. The scout lay five meters off of the pathway, trapped underneath a fallen tree. His chest and arms were ripped and oozing blood from numerous spots. His legs were hidden by a thorny bush that encircled most of his body.

"Commander, the _demons_ were here." The wounded Sangheili pushed feebly at the massive tree crushing his midsection. "Three of them, just over there." With a little bit of effort he pointed off down the path. Nothing was in sight. "You can still catch them."

"No; we must tend to you and your men first." Jul'yaree motioned to the nearest Sangheili and they clustered around the tree.

"Where are the Lekgolo when you need them?" The Sangheili applied all their strength to the tree and managed to lift it just high enough for the wounded soldier to pull himself out. Then it fell with a tremendous thud and rolled a few feet down the slope. A team of medics lifted the injured soldier off the ground and carried him back to the clearing.

Zu'ronee shook his head in sorrow at the bodies around the path. "This is not right." He said slowly. "These lives are wasted."

"No, Commander." Jul'yaree pointed to a small patch of red blood on the path. It led a steady trail away from the clearing. "We can follow them now. These soldiers have given their lives so that we can hunt down the _demons_. Shall we give chase?"

"No. They have probably set up a second ambush point along the path, if they are thinking the same as I. They expect us to follow them. They are goading us to chase them, to make a mistake that could end all our lives. We will simply bypass them and reach the temple while they wait for us to make our move." With a sigh of regret Zu'ronee turned from the path and addressed his soldiers.

"Squads Alpha and Sigma will stay behind with the wounded until they can be picked up or moved back to the Field Command. The rest of you, my brothers, will continue on to connect with Commander 'Tinulee. Haste is of the essence now, brothers. We need to reach 'Tinulee before the _demons_ can strike again."

Wordlessly the host saluted and formed up around the second exit to the clearing. It was a rough and twisted path that led down towards the entrance of the valley in which the temple lay. When they were ready the first squad entered the woods, weapons ready. Within minutes there were none left in the clearing except for a dozen soldiers guarding the few wounded.

The gorge was eerily quiet when the first element slipped in. The sun was rapidly fading behind the mountains around the valley. No animal moved in the gorge. The only noise came from the occasional shift of rock underneath the feet of the Covenant soldiers.

Half-way through the gorge the lead element called a halt. Zu'ronee and Jul'yaree hurried forward to see what the holdup was. They had been getting anxious to reach 'Tinulee and did not want to stop.

The Sangheili saluted as they approached.

"Commanders," he said respectfully. "We have spotted a contingent of the infidels at the edge of the gorge. I do not believe that they have spotted us yet."

"Good. You have done well. Send a runner back down the line and call the squad leaders forward."

"As you order, Commander." He barked out the order to one of the Kig-Yar. The Kig-Yar nodded and rushed back towards the rear elements. Once he had gone Zu'ronee pulled out his scope and checked the far end of the gorge. There were indeed infidels there. Several heavy weapon emplacements dotted the ridgeline to the east and there were several makeshift bunker-like positions a third of the way down the gorge. They were set up in a textbook defensive pattern. That meant that there was a textbook flanking strategy.

"Your eyes are indeed sharp to see these infidels from this range, Scout. I do not know many that would have spotted them from this far. What is your name?" Zu'ronee did not take his eye off of the scope as he spoke. He did not want to risk the chance that the infidels did not notice them. As soon as they did there would be sniper rounds in as thick as flies.

"I am Ghe'yaree, Commander. My family has served as scouts for the Covenant since the Age of Doubt. We have a proud record of possessing sharp eyes and quick ears."

"I am impressed, Ghe'yaree. May the Prophets bless your descendants as they have blessed your ancestors."

"I thank you, Commander." The Sangheili lowered his head in thanks. "May I ask you a question, Commander?"

"Yes, you may."

"Is it true that you were aboard the _Honest Truth_ in the first encounter with the infidels?"

"No, Ghe'yaree. I was not there. My blood-brother was. He served as a Gunnery Master there. Now I believe he holds his own command in the fleet guarding _High Charity_."

"Thank you, Commander. I was curious."

"You are welcome, Ghe'yaree. I can tell you, though, that I fought in the Gamma-Epsilon system the following year. My Zealot was Orna Mor'laree. He now serves in the honor guard and is the Prophet of Regret's personal bodyguard."

"That is amazing. I heard that the casualty rates in the Gamma-Epsilon system were well over half."

"They were. It was because of the _demons_. There were many there. How many I do not know, but they murdered many brave warriors during the nights on those planets."

"Were any of them killed?"

"No. They disappeared whenever we nearly had them. I do not know how they did it, but they seemed invincible."

Further discussion was interrupted as the squad leaders arrived. There were fourteen in all, ranging in rank from Novice to Veteran. Thankfully there was an even amount of Novices and Veterans.

Zu'ronee outlined the plan in the dirt while the squad leaders watched.

"The infidels have taken up position along the ridgeline in a Horus deployment. I want squads Beta, Gamma, Theta and Omicron from both commands to scale the ridge here," he pointed over his shoulder at a climbable section of the gorge. "and advance cautiously towards the infidel's flank. Squads Delta, Phi and Omega from both commands will do likewise from the other flank. I will lead everyone else down the gorge and straight at them. Initiate contact on my signal."

The squad leaders saluted and hurried back to their squads. Within minutes they were busy scaling the gorge and forming up on the level ground above.

Satisfied that all was ready, Zu'ronee waved to those still in the gorge and they advanced silently, using every boulder for cover. They continued in this way until they approached within a few hundred meters of the base of the ridge. A quick check on his comm was sufficient for Zu'ronee. His soldiers were in place.

Zu'ronee aimed his plasma rifle at the nearest emplacement. It was out of his weapon's range, but it would gather the infidel's attention. He squeezed the trigger and let out a short burst. Two blue streaks darted across the sky, leaving a glowing trail in their wake. The infidels responded a moment later as they mobilized to retaliate. The air around Zu'ronee's head began to snap and crack as ballistic projectiles shattered on the rocks nearby.

Once he was certain that he had their full attention he pulled out his comm and whispered into it.

"All units attack."

Nothing happened for a moment. The infidel's fire continued unabated. Then screams reached his ears as his soldiers opened fire on their unprotected flanks. The fire slackened off and Zu'ronee took his chance. He hurdled the boulder that he had hid behind and charged forward, bellowing his family's war cry. The others behind him followed suite. The three dozen warriors ignored all cover and rushed the lower positions with reckless abandon. Almost immediately the fire picked back up. The head of a Kig-Yar by Zu'ronee's side disintegrated as a trio of lead bullets blew through it. Then the flanking forces concentrated their fire on the infidels firing on Zu'ronee's group and the infidels dove for cover.

The infidel's fire had almost completely stopped in their direction by the time they reached the bottom of the hill. When they entered within grenade range they paused and waited for everyone to catch up. Then they lobbed a volley of grenades up in an even line. The resulting explosion blew a long crater in the side of the gorge. A small landslide swept the lower infidel positions down the gorge and into the warriors' waiting hands. Zu'ronee zeroed in on an infidel with a rocket launcher as he tumbled down the slope and let out a long burst. The plasma fire traced a path behind the infidel for several feet before it caught up with him. One of the rounds struck the ammunition for the launcher and it exploded, flaying the area with shrapnel. Zu'ronee switched targets and watched one tumbling down straight at him. He holstered his rifle and unsheathed his sword. The infidel's slide came to a halt directly at Zu'ronee's feet. Before the infidel could blink he had sank his sword into the infidel's chest. A few drops of blood sprayed out of the wound before it cauterized and dried up. The blood splashed against Zu'ronee's dark red armor. He looked down to wipe it off and stopped in surprise. In his haste after the ridge battle he had forgotten to wipe off his armor. Dried and crusty blue blood clung to his breastplate and leg guards. _His son's blood_. Zu'ronee resisted the urge to wipe it off. Instead he let it stay as a reminder of the cost that would be paid and had been paid for this temple.

Zu'ronee's shields flared as a bullet ricocheted off his armor. He dove for cover and looked up, searching for the infidel that had shot at him. There were two, about halfway up the slope. One had a sniper rifle and was firing on his troops' positions above the gorge. Even as Zu'ronee watched the sniper peeked out from cover and brought down a pair of Unggoy with expertly placed shots. The second infidel was armed with an assault rifle and was pouring accurate bursts down on his troops below.

A feral grin spread across Zu'ronee's features as he reached in his belt for a plasma grenade. To his dismay, there weren't any there. He stole a glance back and saw them lying behind him from where he had stood a moment ago. They must have fallen off when he dove.

He shifted his feet and felt something small and round under his boot. He bent down to study it. It was about the size of a Kig-yar's fist and was painted green. Some of the infidel's language was scrawled across it. He recognized it as the infidel's primitive grenade. He checked it for an activation switch and frowned. _How do they use these?_ Then he spotted a small metal ring adorning the top of the grenade. It was so small that he could only fit his claws into it, not his whole finger. The pin slid out easily and he hefted it for half a second. Then he hurled it upward sat the infidel's position. It sailed through the air and struck the sniper dead on the face. Both infidels recoiled at the sight of the grenade. The other infidel dove out of the position and tumbled down the slope. The sniper was most of the way out when the grenade went off. The body was thrown high in the air and flew out and down the slope like a ragdoll. It landed awkwardly against a boulder and jerked spastically.

The other infidel tried to control its fall and managed to avoid Zu'ronee on its way down. It stopped its descent a few meters under him and he pounced. His body slammed against the infidel and it crumpled limply to the ground. His left hand grasped its neck and picked it up effortlessly.

It had a slighter build than most of the infidels that he had faced previously. This one was skinnier and had a more pronounced chest than the others that he had fought before. It also seemed to have a higher voice than most infidels. He held it closer for a better inspection. The face was cut and dirty. Underneath the mud and blood he saw a narrow but well built face, for an infidel. Long dirty blond hair tumbled loose from the restricting helmet and reached past the infidel's shoulder. The infidel's eyes flickered slightly and opened. A harsh gasp escaped its lips and it reached for his arm. He shook it contemptuously and it dropped its arms, fear in its eyes. He activated the translator on his comm and started to speak.

"Where are the _demons_?" he demanded. "Where can I find them?"

The infidel struggled weakly against his grip and tried to speak.

"Up yours… Slimeball."

Zu'ronee huffed and hurled the infidel against a boulder. There were some audible snapping noises as several bones broke. The infidel screamed in pain and clutched at its arm, tears forming around its eyes.

Zu'ronee growled dangerously and picked it up again, this time by its hair. The infidel screamed in agony but was too weak to struggle. He held it up and shook it mercilessly.

"Where are they?"

The infidel bit its lip to hold in a scream. "…not telling… you."

His hand shot forward and slammed into the infidel's stomach. From what he had seen, they were weak and unprotected there. They had no bone to cover their midsection. His fist cracked the armor plates on the battle suit and several pieces fell off. The infidel shrieked and spat out blood. Zu'ronee carelessly dropped it and kicked it in the now unarmored stomach.

"If you tell me, infidel, I will make your death swift."

Its breath came in ragged gasps as it curled up on the ground to avoid more blows. "…never, betray… friends."

Zu'ronee's ears twitched as it said _friend_. According to his translator, that meant a close acquaintance or blood kin. This infidel must be important if it was a friend of the _demons_. It could prove valuable in the coming fight.

He backhanded the human in the face and placed a foot on its injured arm. He leaned forward to speak, applying just enough pressure on the arm to elicit a squeal of fresh pain from the infidel.

"Sarah Davis, A2D6948!"

_Sarah._ Zu'ronee had heard this name before, in the other planets that they had conquered. It was a name given to some of the females in their species. How could they allow females to serve in combat? Were they truly that barbaric? Or desperate?

The infidel was barely coherent from the pain. It squirmed around feverishly, clawing at its stomach and arm. Zu'ronee checked its vital signs on his scanner and found it to still be in a survivable condition. That meant he could deliver more pain without it dying. The infidels took special precautions to cover their chests in protective armor. That must mean that was where their hearts were. Every creature was weak when its heart was vulnerable. He followed his instinct and grabbed at the battle suit. When he found a sufficient hold, he tore the rest of the battle suit off and tossed it across his shoulder.

The infidel cowered on the ground, clothed in a torn and bloody cloth that covered its torso. He sneered at its helplessness and placed a single claw on its chest, where its heart should be. Another grin lit his features as he felt the erratic beat of the heart beneath his finger.

"So, infidel. Still won't talk?"

The infidel stared at him with wide eyes, too terrified to speak. He gloried in the fear that he could inflict on these infidels. His finger shifted slightly and he applied pressure to the infidel's chest. Dark red blood leaked out from its skin as his claw pierced its pathetically weak skin.

"Do you know what I will do with you if you don't tell me what I need to know?"

The infidel tried to lean back from his finger, but it was trapped by a boulder. It flinched as he pushed harder. The blood trickled out onto the middle of its chest and slowly drained towards the ground.

"I will feed you to the Kig-Yar, infidel. They will feast on your flesh. Your pitiful body will be roasted alive and fed to the Kig-Yar like an hgurack."

Fresh tears spouted from the infidel as he let its fate settle in. In reality, he needed it alive. If it could provide any information as to the _demons'_ position then he must have it. He bent low, so that none nearby could hear. The infidel shrank back from his leering face.

"I give you one last chance, _infidel_. What is your answer?"

Through its tears the infidel met his gaze. It blinked several times and cleared away the tears. To Zu'ronee's astonishment, the infidel smiled. A clear, triumphant smile.

"Do your worst, scale-brain. You'll never break me. I'd sooner die a horrible death than tell you anything."

Zu'ronee stood up, rage contorting his features. He spat on the infidel and launched a mighty kick into its stomach. The force of the blow lifted the infidel off of the ground and it landed senseless. His whole frame shook with anger as he checked his scanner. It was still alive. Good.

A nearby noise alerted him to the presence of another and he spun around, sword ready to be activated.

Commander Jul'yaree stood at attention, nursing a bloody arm.

"The infidels are all dead, Commander. We have taken casualties, though. Eight Unggoy, five Kig-Yar and two Sangheili have fallen. A few score more have suffered injury."

"Those losses are grievous, but acceptable." He pointed to the unconscious infidel lying on the ground. "This infidel has knowledge about the _demons_. I have let it live so that we can interrogate it. Send down a squad to retrieve it." Jul'yaree finished his salute and turned to leave.

"Oh, and Commander."

Jul'yaree turned halfway to regard his Commander.

"Make sure that there are no Kig-Yar in the squad. Sangheili and Unggoy only."

Jul'yaree nodded and barked out an order to a nearby Unggoy that was searching the dead for souvenirs. The little alien jumped to attention and sped off, grumbling about losing its share of the loot.

Zu'ronee took one final look at the infidel on the ground. Had it been one of his own race, he would have felt sorry for it; alone and wounded, surrounded by enemies that would not hesitate to kill. No, it was an infidel. This was better a better fate than it deserved. He considered it lucky that he deemed it to be important enough to let live.


	5. The Prisoner

The last leg of the trek was not nearly as hard on the Command. After the encounter with the infidels, they had reached a long sloping plain that was easy to march on. They continued down into the adjacent valley, towards the temple. The squad that was carrying the wounded infidel carried it without grumbling. Zu'ronee had promised that they would be the first to confront the _demons_ when the infidel broke down and confessed.

Jul'yaree had given Zu'ronee the after-action report as they left the gorge. There had been roughly seventy infidels guarding the mouth of the gorge. None had escaped and there had been only one radio transmission before their radios were disabled. That meant that they still had a good chance of getting in undetected.

Once they had entered within tactical-comm range of 'Tinulee's command Zu'ronee called a halt. They had a clear vantage point from their position but were hard to spot against the colorful field around them. His troopers formed a defensive perimeter around the area while he went to interrogate the captured infidel. He dismissed the squad guarding the infidel and summoned Commander Jul'yaree.

The infidel was still wheezing from the pain. Zu'ronee scowled at the infidel's weakness. A proper warrior would have recovered his composure after such trifling wounds. He reminded himself again why they were fighting this war. These infidels did not deserve to live. They were too weak.

"Speak, infidel. Where are the _demons_?"

The infidel stayed huddled up on the ground, not daring to open itself up to a strike. "Go… to hell, scale-brain."

Jul'yaree growled angrily and lashed out with his booted foot. The infidel shrieked and rolled away from him. Zu'ronee halted it with a heavy slap. _Weak, but not easily cowed_.

"Mind what manners you have, infidel. The Kig-Yar have not fed in days."

A grimace of disgust washed across the infidel's face, but it seemed unfazed. At least it was smart enough to know when to call a bluff.

"You give me to them, lizard, and you'll get nothing."

Zu'ronee raised his hand to strike it again. The infidel flinched but stared straight at him, defiance clear in its features. His hand descended and struck the infidel across the stomach. Blood sprayed out of its mouth and it curled up into a ball. He listened carefully and heard it crying softly. _A breakthrough_. Soon it would talk, then he would know where to find the demons.

Jul'yaree pulled out a hologram of the _demons_ and shoved it in front of the infidel's face.

"Do you know where these are, infidel?"

The infidel shook its head stubbornly. Jul'yaree cast a sidelong glance at Zu'ronee and sighed.

"If that is your wish, infidel…" Zu'ronee motioned to a nearby clump of Kig-Yar. "She is yours. Do not make her death quick. Enjoy her if you wish."

The Kig-Yar rose eagerly, eyes gleaming with a mix of hunger and hatred. Zu'ronee let a smug grin cross his face and he studied the infidel's face. The infidel's eyes went wide with shock and it tried to curl up even tighter into a ball. It began speaking quickly and feverishly to itself. Zu'ronee leaned closer to hear it. To his disgust, it was meaningless chatter to her god.

The first Kig-Yar reached her and she screamed in fear. Her scream gave the Kig-Yar just enough pause for her to roll away from them and get up to run. Zu'ronee caught her with one hand and lifted her off her feet.

"I will give you one last chance, infidel. WHERE ARE THE _DEMONS_!"

The infidel screamed an obscenity in his face. He contemptuously flung her over his shoulder to the waiting Kig-Yar. Their wolfish cries sent a chill down Zu'ronee's spine, but he relished it. He considered letting her live once the Kig-Yar had finished with her, but he just as quickly dropped the idea. He had let it live long enough. It did not deserve even this fate.

His thoughts were interrupted by the sharp report of an infidel weapon. A bullet passed within inches of his face, glancing off of his shields. He had not recalled activating them. A trio of bullets followed close behind the first, sparking like meteors as they shattered on his shields.

Zu'ronee threw himself to the ground and triggered his comm unit. "All units, contact towards the east. Respond now."

He heard several clicks on his comm before a pair of rounds landed by his head. The comm fizzled and he rolled away from his position, cursing the infidel's accuracy. Already two of the Kig-Yar were dead, slain by the cursed rounds.

Jul'yaree signaled to Zu'ronee from his position behind a boulder. He pointed in the direction of the incoming fire and held up three fingers.

_Only three of them! How can that be?_

One of the Kig-Yar rose to its feet behind Zu'ronee, clutching a beam rifle. It raised the weapon to its shoulder and took aim down the sight. It had just enough time to curse before its head exploded. The corpse toppled backwards onto the captured infidel who scrambled for the rifle. Zu'ronee shot it in the hand with his plasma rifle and it fell back.

Zu'ronee leaned out to his right and grabbed the barrel of the beam rifle. He pulled it in close and examined it in shock. The sights had been blasted by the bullet and were ruined. He discarded the weapon and checked the ammunition gauge on his own rifle. He had about sixty shots before a reload or recharge was needed.

"Commander, they are advancing!"

A squad of Unggoy engineers had arrived and were deploying portable energy shields. Two Sangheili snipers covered them as they worked. None of their fire seemed to discourage the infidels, for the incoming fire continued unabated. If anything, it seemed to increase in fury.

Three figures detached from the edge of the woods before them. They moved swiftly, too swiftly for ordinary infidels. Their armor was a sage color and it shimmered lightly in the air. Zu'ronee took aim at the leading body and fired off a three-round burst. The rounds flew straight and true. To his horror, none of the rounds reached their intended target. All three rounds exploded in a brilliant flare of blue as they encountered an energy shield. _Demons!_

Icy fear clawed at his belly. A shudder swept his body, causing his next burst to fly high. Then he remembered his son, dead now, because of the _demons_. These were the infidels that had robbed him of his lineage. His son's soul called for revenge. He could not fear these creatures.

A roar of rage ripped from his throat and he rose to his feet. A burst of gunfire splattered against his shields, draining them to half strength. He left the protective cover of his soldiers and charged forward. In one motion he brought the plasma rifle to his shoulder and loosed a long burst into the lead figure. The _demon_ dodged most of the rounds, bobbing and weaving with uncanny speed, but a fair number hit. The other two figures rushed forward, covering the first one with their shields.

In a flash Zu'ronee was on them. He lashed out with his fist, catching the nearest in the helmet. Sparks showered both of them as his armored glove ground through the shields and scraped across the facemask. His other hand came up and he ripped its weapon away. Before he could follow up on his move the other _demons_ came down on him. A flurry of impossibly-strong blows overpowered his shield and brought him to his knees. The last thing he saw was the barrel of an _infidel_ assault rifle.

His vision was dark and blurry when he awoke. Stars covered his vision and he sluggishly tried to clear his eyes. Only when his eyes focused did he realize that the stars were real; he was staring at the night sky.

Commander Jul'yaree appeared above him, concern in his face.

"Commander, are you well? The _demons_ got away, and they took the prisoner with them. We thought we had lost you."

"Wait." He held up a hand to stop him. The day's events began flooding into Zu'ronee's mind. _The fight in the gorge; traveling to the field; interrogating the infidel; the _demons. "Tell me what happened."

Jul'yaree took a long breath and recounted the fight slowly. "Three _demons_ attacked us after you interrogated the infidel. You charged out to fight them and disarmed one before the others overwhelmed you. We managed to chase them off before they killed you, but we were unable to kill them."

"That is not a surprise. They are nigh-immortal, or so it seems. But how did they rescue the prisoner?"

"The three _demons_ were a diversion. While our troops drove them off a second group came in behind us and retrieved their comrade. They murdered the Engineering unit and several others while we concentrated on the main group. There were several infidel soldiers with them too. They, must have been expecting us."

Zu'ronee breathed in slowly and grunted. "That is impossible. We gave no hint as to where we were or where we were heading."

"Begging your pardon, Commander, but we did." Jul'yaree reached into his pouch and pulled out a hologram map of the planet. He set it down and pointed to their position. The map zoomed in accordingly. "The infidels must have realized by now that we value these sacred sites. They are therefore guarding them from us at all costs. We have left a trail, Commander. The _demons_ know that we are following them; that is why they placed the traps along the trails. They also must know that their forward unit on the gorge has been eliminated, for it is over an hour since and they did send some message before their communications equipment was destroyed. By looking at the area, it would be logical to assume that we would have proceeded on this path, for it is the shortest route to the sacred temple. It is also open and easy to march on, the best option when moving groups of soldiers. We had given them all the information they needed."

"Why did you not tell me this earlier?" Irritation was evident in Zu'ronee's voice. Inside, Zu'ronee was cursing himself for being so careless. How could he have been so stupid? He was a Commander in the Mighty Covenant, but he had made a rookie mistake this soon in the action.

"I myself did not realize this until after the ambush. I reviewed our path while I searched for possible escape routes. I sent out a unit t o check each route, one did not come back."

"So, they are heading to the temple, then?"

"It would appear so, Commander. Commander 'Tinulee has reported signs of massive entrenchments along the perimeter of the temple. My guess would be that they are planning to fight in its shadow to negate our support options."

"Prophets curse them, they are wily devils. Assemble the troops, we need to catch them before they reach the temple. Stay In the rear and round up stragglers. I want to hook up with 'Tinulee's command by nightfall."

"As you wish, Commander." Jul'yaree departed to gather the unit commanders. Zu'ronee rose unsteadily to his feet and looked at his armor. There was a deep imprint in his armor from where the _demon_ had punched him.

_Prophets protect us in this mission_.


	6. The Final Reinforcements

Shots were fired in the distance. Zu'ronee flinched despite his usual calm, remembering clearly the range and power of the infidel weapons. His scouts hurried back to him, glancing nervously over their shoulders as they ran. They were scared. Zu'ronee looked back at his command and saw that the same went for his whole command. They were all badly shaken from the last ambush. Even the battle-hardened veterans had been unnerved by the _demons_. If they could not find a winning encounter soon, they would fall apart from the strain.

The lead scout threw a breathless salute as he closed the last few steps between them. "Shots fired… near the rendezvous point. Energy fire and ballistic."

Commander Jul'yaree acknowledged the scout and waved him and his men to the rear of the unit. "That is good, Ghe'yaree. Go to the rear and resupply yourselves."

The Sangheili bowed and struck off towards the back of the column, stomach growling.

Zu'ronee's fears were confirmed when they entered the rendezvous point. Burn marks covered the area, singing trees and plants in a wide arc across the paths. Larger, cratered blast marks were scattered across the area with uncanny precision. Foremost among the craters were three long stretches of the woods where the whole forest had been burnt to the ground and leveled. Every remotely defensible position had been blown apart and was riddled with blood and shrapnel. To Zu'ronee's satisfaction though, there was nearly as much red blood as Covenant.

Bodies were strewn all over the area. Zu'ronee counted at least thirty infidel bodies. They were burned and smoking and focused near the pathways. More spread out, but on less numerous, were the black-armored corpses of 'Tinulee's SpecOps Command unit. There had been an ambush here, but who ambushed who? Neither side looked to have been organized or coordinated, both looked like they had been ambushed. Surely 'Tinulee's unit had not stumbled upon this unit without notice. They had been here for over two days, waiting for backup to strike at the forces around the temple. What happened?

One of the Sangheili to Zu'ronee's right steeped forward to check on the dead infidels. He pulled the infidel's body off the ground and swore. The explosion that followed threw the Sangheili five feet off the path, where he landed amid a jumble of mangled Unggoy. Zu'ronee and Jul'yaree exchanged pained glances. _Booby-trapped corpses_.

"Ignore the dead," Zu'ronee shouted to his men further down the line. "Our mission is to find Commander 'Tinulee and his unit." He added under his breath as the unit advanced, "Or what's left of it."

They found the survivors an hour later, holed up in the rocky side of a hill. There was evidence of a recent battle there. Massive craters littered the area and several boulders had been blasted apart. Several dead Unggoy and Sangheili lay stretched out on pads behind the perimeter and brass casing littered the woods fifty meters away. Most of the SpecOps soldiers were wounded and few had any ammunition left.

The SpecOps soldiers cheered when they saw Zu'ronee and his troops. A handful of the Snagheili left their cover and approached Zu'ronee, praising the Prophets for the appearance of reinforcements. Zu'ronee dispatched two squads to help the wounded while he found out what had happened.

The SpecOps soldier spoke first, ignoring the formalities that dictated he wait until addressed. Normally this would be a sign of contempt or hostility, but Zu'ronee saw something else in his eyes. _Fear_. Whatever had happened here had scared a SpecOps soldier. That just did not happen.

"Commander, the _demons_-"

"Hold, where is Commander 'Tinulee?"

"Dead. One of the _demons_ killed him in close combat. I am Orna 'Nosolee, his sub-commander."

Zu'ronee's shoulders drooped as he looked at the remains of a once proud SpecOps unit. Originally fifty strong, there were less than fifteen still standing. It did not take a genius to see who could have done this.

"What happened here? Tell me everything."

The Sangheili nodded and began, "Less than two hours ago, our forward scouts detected a unit of infidels crossing this area. We set up an ambush position three miles that way-"

"Yes, I saw it."

"The infidels were just entering the kill zone when firing erupted behind us. Fours _demons_ and a handful of infidels had come up behind us and assaulted the command post to our rear, alerting the infidels below that we were there. The infidels managed to get off the first few shots before we could respond. Without the command post, our units fought individually and without coordination. We slaughtered every last one of the infidels below, but infidel aircraft arrived and bombed our position. They used some fire weapon that we have not seen before. The bombs left long stretches of trees burning and the flames clung like leeches to our flesh."

"It is called _napalm_, I think. I have seen it used once before. An unholy weapon, that kills in an inglorious way."

"As you say, Commander. They bombed us from above with their _napalm_. We lost several to those flames. I pulled what remained of my sub-unit back to this fallback point. The _demons_ followed us here, sniping at our troops and taunting us with their superior support. Once we reached this point, we holed up and waited for your Command to show up. When the infidels found that we would not go out and engage them they called in their air support again. We lost five to their bombs and shrapnel."

"That is all I need to know, Orna 'Nosolee. You did well to fall back in the face of such adversity and to save your forces. How many of your unit are still able to join the assault?"

"Less than a dozen, Commander. Seven Sangheili, including myself, and four Unggoy. The rest are wounded too badly to be moved very far."

"Eleven will do. I will leave a squad here to signal a medical transport and guard them. The rest will partake in the assault on the temple." Even as he spoke Zu'ronee felt the last strands of hope snap in his heart. Less than eighty warriors attacking the infidel forces around the temple. The infidels would be well entrenched by the time they arrived. It would not be possible to take the temple with such a small force.

Wordlessly the troops left the scene, eyes set and faces grim as they considered the odds before them. It would take a miracle to pull this off.


	7. The Last Battle

The temple came into sight as they crept out of the tree-line. The sight took Zu'ronee's breath away.

Tall and straight amidst the diminutive trees dotting the landscape around it, the temple seemed to stretch out towards the sky as if grasping for the far sun. The scale of the building surprised even the more learned Sangheili in the unit. It was nothing short of remarkable.

The sights at the base of the temple robbed them of the temple's beauty though. Hundreds of infidel soldiers ran back and forth below the temple, carrying weapons and equipment. Four tanks were placed at strategic intervals along the perimeter of the infidel positions and a dozen infidel vehicles drove back and forth across the area carrying soldiers and ammunition. Many of the soldiers were in the trenches around the building but, curiously, the majority of the soldiers were lounging around a cleared patch of grass by the temple. The reason for this became clear when twenty infidel aircraft crested a hill. The aircraft touched down and the soldiers piled into the aircraft. In seconds the aircraft were heading back up, and out, to the surviving ships in orbit.

"Commander Jul'yaree, send your troops around to the left. Hit them through their tank unit near the copse of trees. I will lead the rest along the hill and attack from the opposite side between their other tanks. With luck we can take down three of them before the battle erupts in earnest.

"Once you have eliminated your tank, drive a wedge between the final tank and the main lines. Hopefully the tank will not shoot with friendlies in the area. I will lead my force in behind it and will disable it with our fuel rod cannon.

"We will meet before the temple and clear out any hostile forces inside while a contingent from my force will eliminate any remaining troops outside."

Commander Jul'yaree stared impassively at the temple as he digested the plan. It could work. He nodded slowly and allowed a grin to spread across his face.

"We will enjoy this day, Commander Zu'ronee. I will meet you at the door of the temple."

"May the Prophets bless your aim and speed, Commander. Now be gone, lead your forces to victory."

Fully half an hour later Zu'ronee was ready and eager to initiate the attack. He scanned the length of the field with his monocular, cataloguing the positions of heavy weapons emplacements and firepits into his mind. His sub-commanders and other squad leaders crouched five steps behind him, taking note of the positions as he growled out the respective responsibilities to each commander.

When all was ready Zu'ronee turned to the nervous Unggoy standing at attention behind his squad leaders. It was understandable that the cowardly Unggoy was nervous, after all, it was carrying a fuel rod cannon on its shoulders. While relatively stable compared to the previous versions of the weapon, the fuel rod cannon would still probably explode if it was dropped. Hopefully they would not have to find out.

"Hand over the cannon, Unggoy." Zu'ronee growled menacingly at the trooper. The trooper obeyed immediately, chattering its acknowledgement. "Now go join your squad." The creature left as quickly as its little legs could take it.

Zu'ronee keyed his comm and let out a short bark. Commander Jul'yaree's response came a moment later, indicating that they were all in position. Smiling grimly, Zu'ronee shouldered the fuel rod cannon and took aim at the nearest infidel tank. The infidel driver was sitting on his tank, not in it as any wise warrior would. That made it all easier. Zu'ronee punched his sub-commander lightly in the arm and pointed to the tank. The Sangheili, armed with a beam rifle, grinned and settled his sights on the infidel's head.

Zu'ronee ran a quick check with his squad leaders of their responsibilities, more to reassure himself than to make sure they knew their orders. His troops were will trained and hardly needed the check. They noticed this and gave him a concerned look. He shook it off with a growl and focused back on the temple. His eyes scanned the area one last time for the presence of _demons_, but found none.

Without taking his eyes off of the near tank, he keyed his comm and whispered order. "Commence the assault."

The far side of the clearing erupted as lines of blue and green shot out from Commander Jul'yaree's position. Infidels fell in droves as they were caught in the open without cover. Zu'ronee aimed at the turret of the far tank and pumped the trigger twice. The recoil shook him and he could not see the results of the shots, but he knew instinctively that they would his. Shifting his sights, he fired one shot at the near tank. The driver's corpse, already riddled with energy rounds, flew through the air as the round his and landed awkwardly against the temple.

Then the rush began. Forty soldiers roes as one and began the mad dash to their objectives. The infidels returned fire from their trenches and many warriors fell. Two of the Unggoy running by Zu'ronee's side exploded as a mine erupted beneath their feet. The blow merely lifted Zu'ronee and hurled him down the slope. A moment of fear crossed Zu'ronee as the fuel rod cannon bounced along with him, but it's unstable core did not explode. Gingerly, he picked it up and waited for his soldiers to catch up. The remaining tank was in sight so he took aim at it. Ignoring all the rounds snapping past his head, he dropped the sights below the driver's head and steadied his aim. Then there was a massive cracking noise and his vision blurred. Two more quickly followed and his shields flared, then died. Caught off balance, he fell to the side and unholstered his plasma rifle. Three infidel soldiers were crouched in a half-dug trench, one reloading a sniper rifle.

Zu'ronee reholstered his rifle and grabbed one of his remaining grenades. He slammed it against his shin to arm it and lobbed it in a lazy arc towards the infidels. The grenade exploded three feet off the ground, engulfing the infidels in blue flame. Their screams rung sweetly in his ears.

Further joy was stolen as a Sangheili squad leader grabbed him and lifted him to his feet. "Commander, the last tank still stands."

Zu'ronee nodded and waved the officer off. He then picked up the fallen fuel rod cannon, checking its charge. Satisfied, he took aim at where the tank had been. It was gone. He quickly scanned the battlefield and saw it farther down the line, firing into Jul'yaree's troops as fast as it could. He grimly aimed at the tank and fired. The green missile streaked across the field and exploded on the tank's rear treads. Flames sprung up near its engine and the driver scrambled out of his canopy. A hail of plasma cut him down, blowing his body neatly in half.

Half of Zu'ronee's force was down, but the infidels were already beaten. The perimeter had collapsed, with few escaping the trenches, and the remainder huddled around the LZ, fighting desperately with whatever they had. Zu'ronee saw some throwing rocks at the Unggoy, who dodged for cover anyway. It galled him that such cowardice was shown in his troops.

A cry of alarm alerted Zu'ronee to the next problem. Over the hills came a new flight of infidel aircraft. They were troopships, but Zu'ronee knew that they were armed. The aircraft opened up on Jul'yaree's troops, spitting death at speeds that confounded him. He calmly figured out the distance to the aircraft in his head and aimed the appropriate distance ahead. A slight grin encompassed his features as he pumped the trigger three times. The rounds shot off towards a spot ahead of the nearest aircraft. For a moment Zu'ronee thought he had missed, but then the aircraft disappeared behind three consecutive clouds of green energy. The burning hulk of the aircraft emerged from the other side and careened into the temple. Zu'ronee winced as a soaring buttress crumpled from the impact. He cursed the fates for the crash, but reminded himself that he would be compensated by the death of the infidels.

A single fuel round came from Jul'yaree's position, exploding on the next aircraft's wing. The aircraft dipped and rolled from the hit, crashing into the ground upside down. Several broken bodies flew out of the craft, flying fifty meters before slamming into the temple side. The final aircraft pulled up from its strafing run and turned to head back to where it came from. Zu'ronee let it go. He redirected his troops to head for the besieged LZ, promising a promotion to whoever killed the most infidels.

They were passing the temple doors when a burst of fire cut into their ranks, slaying half of them in an instant. Zu'ronee turned to source of the fire and saw four flashes of fire coming from the doorway. Behind the flashes were four armored figures. _Demons_.

Zu'ronee's last grenade was in his hand before he recognized the motion and he hurled it at the center of the mass. Three of the _demons_ dodged the grenade, but the fourth caught it in the thigh. For one horrible second the _demon_ looked straight at Zu'ronee, as if cursing him. Then a brilliant blue flash engulfed the _demon_. When the light cleared, there was no sign of the _demon_, except for stray bits of armor and blood that clung to the walls.

His troops cheered as the death of one of the dreaded_ demons_. They redoubled their efforts and charged the remaining three. One went down under the massive hail of plasma, but the other two struck with a fury that Zu'ronee had never seen in anything mortal. Bones snapped and armored gloves punched holes through Sangheili flesh as the _demons_ dropped their weapons to engage in hand to hand combat. The two worked as a team, spinning and hitting from alternate angles that the Sangheili could not deflect. Zu'ronee clearly saw that his troops would lose. Even though several were armed with the sacred swords, they fought as individuals, striving against their own allies to achieve the glory of killing a _demon_. The _demons_, alternately, fought as one person, moving with a speed and power that defied explanation. Warrior after warrior fell before the amazing strikes of the _demons_. In three minutes, it was over. Ten Sangheili lay dead at the door of the temple. Their broken bodies were testament to the burning rage engulfing the _demons_.

By this time Commander Jul'yaree's unit had arrived before the temple. They charged the _demons_ with inspired fury, firing and swinging with abandon. The _demons_, having grabbed their weapons, mowed them down at the doorway, slaying them faster than they could approach. Finally some broke through the rain of fire and advanced into close combat. The _demons_ promptly blew them into pieces with their shotguns. None of the unit's troops reached them alive.

Zu'ronee and Jul'yaree stood back from the gruesome scene and eyed the _demons_ with awe. The _demons_ faced them, without moving, though they were obviously ready attack. Zu'ronee slowly lifted the empty fuel rod cannon from his shoulder and set it down, holding his hands up to show he was unarmed. The _demons_ did not react.

Zu'ronee activated his translator and spoke to them.

"This is where you will die, _demons_. There is no escaping the Covenant. What is your choice of death?"

One of the _demons_ took a step forward and flashed an obscene gesture at him.

"We might die, but you'll have to pay hell for it."

Zu'ronee chuckled and produced two crescent shaped handles from his belt. He tossed one to the _demon_ and activated his own. The twin blades of his sword glistened in the sunlight. Jul'yaree did likewise.

"I have paid hell for you, _demon_, trust me. I have. My son's blood still stains my armor."

The _demon_ came in fast, impossibly fast. Zu'ronee was forced on his heels by the sudden flurry of horizontal sweeps. But sword fighting was something that Zu'ronee had mastered long ago in the Academy. He had not won the Grand-master championship for nothing.

His sword came up in a feinted thrust, then he spun on his back heel, launching a power swipe at his opponents feet. The _demon_ hopped over the blow and kicked out with an armored boot. Zu'ronee caught the boot in midair and pushed it to the side. Only a lightning fast parry by the _demon_ prevented the infidel's castration.

Slightly miffed, but not overly surprised, Zu'ronee took a step back and started circling. The _demon_ stood in its place, turning with him and not presenting an opportunity. Or so it thought. Zu'ronee planted his forward foot hard in the ground and jumped two steps back. The _demon_ spun to face him, but its momentum carried it too far. Quick as a flash Zu'ronee was on it, sending an angled cut at its back. The _demon_ bent at the waist and rolled forward, dodging the blade by a hairsbreadth. Zu'ronee noted that its shield was deactivated and he deactivated his own. He wanted this fight to be fair, despite all the voices in his head screaming for an easy kill.

The _demon_ rose from its roll with its sword arm swinging. Zu'ronee deactivated his sword and ducked under the blade, coming inside the arc of the blade. He punched the _demon_ in the facemask and leapt over it, twisting in the air to land neatly behind it. The _demon_ stumbled right into him and he reactivated the energy sword. A muffled scream came from inside the _demon's_ mask and it went limp. He put his sword away and dropped it to the ground. Two neat holes through its heart were the only indication that it was dead.

A sense of pride swept through Zu'ronee as he looked at his kill. He carefully knelt down and slipped the helmet off, wanting to see the dreaded _demon's_ face. He froze in shock as he opened the helmet. The face looked similar to the face from the captured infidel. These _demons_ were mere infidels! How could this be?

Zu'ronee barely heard the strangled cry of Jul'yaree as twin energy beams sliced open his throat. He did not hear the thudding noise as his body hit the ground. He did hear the approaching steps of the last _demon_.

Zu'ronee rolled to the side as the blade came down. He brought his own sword out and lashed out at an awkward angle, catching the _demon_ in the knee. A grunt of pain was all that escaped the helmeted figure. His next blow came in across the _demon's_ chest, but was blocked by a slashing blow. The strength behind the blow staggered Zu'ronee. The _demon_ was hacking away with the sword, too angry to rely on fancy maneuvering. He could deal with that.

Zu'ronee waited until its next blow came within inches of his head before bending backwards. He pressed off the ground with his feet and launched a double-footed jab under his chin. There was a horrid cracking noise and his feet were lanced with pain. His landing was awkward and he had to push hard to get off the ground. To his surprise though, the _demon_ did not strike him. He turned around slowly to see why, expecting to see twin energy blades appear in his face every inch of the way.

The _demon_ lay on the ground, its helmet resting on the ground several feet away. Blood covered the _demon's_ face and it writhed on the ground like a snake. Zu'ronee watched it carefully, wary of a trick.

"Do you yield, _demon_?"

The _demon_ growled and unholstered its pistol. In the blink of an eye Zu'ronee had reached down and pulled his own pistol out of the hip holster and had placed two rounds into the _demon's_ hand. The charred remains of the pistol crumpled as they hit the ground.

Zu'ronee moved in and straddled the fallen _demon_, placing his pistol a few inches off of its forehead.

"Do you yield, _demon_?"

The _demon's_ reply was broken and slow in coming. "You killed my friends."

"And you killed my son. From one thousand yards, without a chance to fight back." No hint of empathy or sorrow was in his voice.

"Would you have done any different?"

_Yes, I would have been more vicious in my ambushes_. Zu'ronee hid the thought with a scowl.

"I didn't know he was your son. I would have shot him anyway though."

The _demon's_ head lolled to the side and Zu'ronee followed its gaze. It was looking at the one that Zu'ronee had stabbed. Zu'ronee looked back at its face and saw something familiar. _Grief, mourning_. _I felt the same thing as Ghe'ronee died in my arms_.

The _demon_ spoke softly, almost too quietly to hear.

"It's a shame, that such lives are wasted killing each other."

_Aye, it is._

A low rumbling came from overhead and Zu'ronee looked up. Five of the infidel's aircraft were overhead, steadily descending and bristling with soldiers and weapons. He counted at least a dozen weapons aimed at him.

The _demon_ chuckled despite the pain. "This is your chance, Elite. Go down as the one who killed three Spartans on his own. I'm sure that you'd be remembered for a while by your friends."

Zu'ronee tightened the grip on the trigger reflexively as the ships touched down. He heard the troops running to form a ring around them. More guns were cocked than he cared to count.

_He does not deserve so inglorious a death. He is a warrior, albeit an infidel warrior._

He abruptly holstered the weapon. Rising slowly to his feet, Zu'ronee held out his hands to show he was unarmed. To his relief, most of the soldiers lowered their weapons.

"Next time, _warrior_, next time."

He walked away from the _demon_ without another word.


End file.
